Chapter 2: The New Headmaster
As the train pulled up to Hogwarts, Ginny, Neville, Luna and Sean waved goodbye to Laura; she would be travelling to the castle by enchanted boat along with the rest of the first-years. Ginny felt greatly reassured as she heard the familiar call of “Firs’ years! Firs’ years this way!” and seeing Hagrid’s massive form silhouetted against the darkening sky. She waved, and after a couple of tries, managed to catch Hagrid’s eye. He seemed as relieved to see a familiar face as she was; breaking into a grin, he waved back and called, “All righ’, Ginny? See yeh inside!” Ginny imagined he must have been searching the crowds of students for Ron, Harry and Hermione before remembering they’d be absent this year.
She found Luna, Neville and Sean getting into one of the apparently horseless carriages which transported the older students up to the castle “ though Ginny knew that the carriages were in fact pulled by Thestrals, having ridden one in her fourth year. Thestrals were only visible to those who had seen someone die, and Ginny remembered with another tug at her heart that Harry could see Thestrals, having seen the death of Cedric Diggory in his fourth year. So could Luna, who was happily patting what Ginny assumed to be the Thestral’s head, and receiving some very strange looks for it (of which she took no notice) and Neville, who kept his distance but was clearly watching the exchange between the two. Seamus simply looked puzzled.
The crowds of chattering students which poured into the Great Hall seemed, at first, to be the same as any other year. Gradually, though, Ginny began to notice divides in the students. Some small groups of people were keeping entirely to themselves, as if the masses of students surrounding them had a contagious disease. A few students were isolated altogether by their peers.
Seamus and Neville had noticed this too. “Pure-bloods,” said Seamus dourly. “And Muggle-borns.”
“There’re quite a few here,” Ginny observed.
“They might have been better off if they hadn’t come.” Neville voiced what they were all thinking; Ginny was surprised at herself for thinking it. Hogwarts had always been an accepting and accommodating school before “ when Dumbledore was Headmaster.
Once everyone was seated at their respective house tables, the Sorting Hat was carried in and soon the hall had fallen silent. Every eye was on the Hat, including those of the petrified first-years lined up and ready to be Sorted. The Sorting Hat opened its ‘mouth’ “ a wide rip in the brim “ and began to sing:
In Hogwarts history
Before the founders four
Had become the founders three,
Each founder had a treasure
Crafted with great magical skill
That could enhance the user’s magic
As so was the object’s will.
These treasures could protect, empower
Grant wisdom unimpaired
But the greatest treasure by far
Was the friendship the four shared.
There are secrets bound within this school
And most are best forgotten
For many a thief stole many a jewel
And suffered for gains ill-gotten.
The time for forgiveness is at hand
To put old wrongs to right
To stand strong before our foes
We must, as friends, unite;
Repair the bonds of friendship that
Of old were rent asunder
And thus protect the treasures which
Our enemies wish to plunder.
Come try me on, and I will tell
In which house you belong
But after you’ve been Sorted
Don’t forget my Sorting song;
Although it is my sad duty
To separate you all
We all must stand together
Or divided we shall fall.”
It was normal for the Sorting Hat’s song to be followed by an enthusiastic round of applause. This time, however, a rather uncertain bout of clapping ensued, punctuated by a great deal of whispered comments. Nevertheless, the Sorting Hat bowed to each of the four houses as usual, and then was still.
Neville, who was sitting to Ginny’s right, nudged her and whispered, “Look at the Grey Lady!”
Ginny sought out the ghost of Ravenclaw, hovering behind Terry Boot. The usually serene ghost had a wide-eyed expression, and one hand was pressed to her cheek. She kept glancing over to the Slytherin table, where the Bloody Baron hovered with an impassive face.
Just then, Ginny realised that sitting next to Terry Boot was one of Miller’s cronies from the train “ the sallow-skinned, lanky youth who resembled Snape. I suppose not everyone bad has to be in Slytherin, thought Ginny.
The room gradually quietened again in preparation for the Sorting. Ginny heard a girl to her left whisper, “I don’t understand. My cousin Huey was supposed to be coming this year, but he didn’t meet me on the train and he’s not in that line.” Ginny recognised the voice as belonging to Elena Hughes, a third-year. Ten Galleons says he’s Muggle-born, she thought.
Professor McGonagall began reading out first-years’ names from a long roll of parchment. “Abercrombie, Amanda!”
As Amanda walked forward to put on the Sorting Hat, the conversation to Ginny’s left continued.
“Are you sure he’s a wizard? His parents are both Muggles…”
Ten Galleons to me.
“Yes, I’m sure he got the letter,” said Elena unhappily.
“Gryffindor!” shouted the Sorting Hat, and the Gryffindor table applauded enthusiastically. Elena and her friend stopped talking in order to join in.
“Anderson, Huey!”
There was an intake of breath to Ginny’s left. “That’s him! Where is he?”
Heads all around the Great Hall were turning this way and that, no doubt expecting the missing boy to materialise. Ginny noticed that Professor McGonagall was wearing an expression of grim determination. She knew, Ginny realised, that Huey Anderson wouldn’t be coming to Hogwarts, but she wasn’t going to keep quiet about it.
Ginny’s eyes travelled to the High Table, and she couldn’t help shuddering a little at the sight of Snape sitting in the high-backed gold chair usually occupied by Dumbledore. His head was turned as he gave Filch, the caretaker, some quiet instructions. Filch nodded and made his way over to Professor McGonagall, then spoke into her ear. He kept his voice deliberately low, but Professor McGonagall took no such trouble; her reply came in a loud and ringing voice.
“What do you mean, ‘he will not be attending the school’? His name is on the list!”
Filch’s reply was inaudible, but Ginny could see Professor McGonagall’s expression change to one of fury.
At the High Table, Snape got to his feet. There was an instant hush; the school seemed to be holding its collective breath.
“There has been a mistake with the list,” said Snape smoothly. “The student in question is of Muggle parentage and has no magical ability.”
“That’s not true!” burst out Elena, and in the silence her voice carried all around the Hall. Turning bright red, she clapped her hands over her mouth. Snape looked at her, but said nothing and sat back down. Professor McGonagall continued reading out names, her fingers gripping the parchment a little more tightly than usual.
“Creevey, Laura!”
Laura Creevey trotted out of line, her eyes searching the house tables as she went. She spotted Ginny, Neville and Seamus at the Gryffindor table and grinned at them, before putting the Sorting Hat onto her head. It fell down over her eyes, and there was a few seconds’ pause before the hat shouted, “Gryffindor!” The Gryffindor table all applauded, and Seamus moved up to create a space for Laura between himself and Neville.
There were no more mysteriously missing students on the list, it seemed, and presently the Sorting ended with Ella Whitsun of Hufflepuff house. Food materialised onto golden platters and the feast began.
Halfway through the first course, Ginny became aware that a whole group of Gryffindors were listening to Elena talk about her cousin.
“I was there when he got accidentally pushed into a pond and the whole thing froze over as soon as he touched it,” she said. “He was really excited about coming here.” Elena bit her lip and tears welled up in her eyes. In a choked voice she said, “He had a w-wand and “ and all the spell books and now he’ll never get to go to Hogwarts!” She burst into tears and buried her face in her arms; the girl next to her gave her a hug and patted her on the shoulder. Ginny wondered how first-years like Huey had been able to buy wands, since Ollivander had mysteriously disappeared last year. She supposed someone else had taken up the trade in his place.
“There’s a boy down my road who was meant to be coming to Hogwarts this year.” A girl with ginger hair whose name Ginny didn’t know continued the discussion. “McGonagall didn’t even mention his name.”
“Well, she couldn’t keep doing that, could she? She’d get sacked for sure,” said a fourth-year boy. “My mate Ali who’s in Hufflepuff knows two people who haven’t come back. Both of them are Muggle-born.”
This connection caused quite a stir amongst the various listeners, as it came to light that the other missing students were Muggle-born as well, but it was no surprise to Ginny. She glanced to her right and saw that Neville, Seamus and Laura were all listening as well. Neville looked angry but resigned, whilst Laura looked upset; Seamus simply shook his head and returned to his steak and kidney pie.
Some time later, the last of the food faded from the plates, dishes and tureens. Snape again rose to his feet and silence fell.
“I have several announcements which need to be made,” he said, without any introduction or friendly greeting, as Dumbledore would have done. “Firstly, I regret to inform you that Charity Burbage has resigned from her post as Muggle Studies teacher.”
He didn’t sound as if he regretted it at all, Ginny thought contemptuously.
“The position will therefore be fulfilled by Alecto Carrow,” Snape continued. Ginny sought out Alecto at the High Table, sitting two seats away from Snape, next to McGonagall. She had narrow, sloping shoulders, straggly brown hair and an expression of permanent distaste on her face. She didn’t rise from her chair as her name was announced, although her expression changed to a triumphant smirk that was almost worse. Ginny tried to remember if she’d seen her in the Department of Mysteries when they’d gone on that futile rescue mission, but everything after she’d broken her ankle had been a painful haze, and her memories before that were more like snapshots, quick flashes of people and places and duels. Ginny didn’t like examining them too closely.
It was customary (and polite) to applaud the announcement of a new teacher, and so most people did. But it was common knowledge that Alecto Carrow and her brother were Death Eaters, and as such the applause was brief and unenthusiastic.
“I also have the pleasure,” Snape said as tonelessly as he’d announced Charity Burbage’s resignation, “of announcing that the post of Dark Arts teacher will be taken up by Amycus Carrow.”
Barely anyone clapped this time; there were outbreaks of shocked murmuring all around the Hall as students realised what Snape had just said.
“It’s bad enough that we can’t learn to defend ourselves without students being taught the Dark Arts,” Ginny muttered furiously to Neville. He nodded gravely.
“We’re really going to need Dumbledore’s Army this year.”
“The subjects of Dark Arts and Muggle Studies,” Snape continued without raising his voice, as if there had been no talking whatsoever, “will be compulsory to all students, even those taking N.E.W.T.s.”
Ginny frowned, confused and annoyed. She could understand why teaching students the Dark Arts would benefit Snape, but Muggle Studies? She felt as if she was missing something. Beside her, Neville murmured, “All the better to brainwash us with.” Ginny looked round at him in surprise; a year or two ago, she could never have imagined him saying something so cynical. Still, it paid to be cynical in times like these. She was sure Mad-Eye Moody would have approved.
“The Ministry of Magic has decreed that there be a new format for discipline in this school,” was Snape’s next announcement. There was a pause, in which Ginny could see one or two of the younger students struggling to work out the long words. “Any pupils who are to receive detention, or who have misbehaved in any way, must be referred to Professor Carrow or Professor Carrow,” he indicated each with a slight inclination of the head, “who will allocate a suitable punishment.”
Ginny could see that none of the teachers were at all pleased with this loss of authority. It was being made very clear to them where they stood in relation to the Carrows.
“Due to increased levels of security, and a number of shops being closed, there will be no weekend trips to the village of Hogsmeade this year.” A few students groaned at this announcement, before hastily clapping their hands over their mouths or being shushed by their friends. Everyone was much more afraid of punishment now.
“The Quidditch House Cup will take place as usual this year. Trials will be held on the 5th of September, which is the first Saturday of term for the more… intellectually challenged of you.”
Ginny didn’t even hear Snape’s insult; she felt as if something cold and icy had just slid into the pit of her stomach. Officially, Harry was still the Gryffindor Quidditch Captain: he might not have returned to school this year, but he hadn’t technically left the school either. Ginny dreaded to think how the team would fare without the person who was both its Captain and the best Seeker the team had had in decades. Ron wasn’t there to be Keeper, either, so they’d need another one of those… Ginny put a hand to her head, almost missing the fact that Snape had finished the announcements and people were beginning to disperse to their various house dormitories. She got up and followed Neville and Seamus, still wondering where they were going to get a Quidditch team from. It seemed an absurd thing to be worrying about, what with all the other changes that were happening at Hogwarts, but Ginny felt for some reason as if they needed to win the Quidditch Cup again this year. For Harry’s sake.
“Miss Weasley.”
Ginny jumped and turned to see who had spoken. It was Professor McGonagall. “Yes, Professor?”
She could have sworn Professor McGonagall cast a surreptitious glance around the Hall before continuing. “Due to the absence of Mr. Potter, you are now Quidditch Captain for Gryffindor,” Professor McGonagall informed her.
Ginny was shocked, although she had to admit, it was a fairly logical appointment, if only because she was the oldest member from last year’s Quidditch team. “Me?”
“Yes. I expect to see you training the team hard. To lose the Cup this year, on top of everything else…”
Ginny nodded. She suspected that Professor McGonagall was especially keen for Slytherin not to win. “I’ll do my best, Professor.”
She hurried to catch up with Neville and Seamus; Laura had already gone on ahead with the other first years. Upon reaching the portrait of the Fat Lady, they realised that none of them knew the password. Just then, Ginny heard footsteps behind them; she turned to see Romilda Vane walking along the corridor. Romilda had regarded Ginny as her arch-rival ever since she had started going out with Harry, and she wasn’t Ginny’s preferred person to be ‘rescued’ by. Still, if she knew the password…
“Lep-” began Romilda, and then stopped as she caught sight of Ginny. The Fat Lady, who had been preparing to swing open, raised an eyebrow. “Yes?”
Romilda ignored her, and looked hard at Ginny. Ginny was glad that Romilda was in the year below her, so that she didn’t have to endure being in the same class as her. Still, Romilda wasn’t surrounded by her usual gang of giggling friends, so maybe she’d matured a little over the summer?
Those hopes were dashed as Romilda asked abruptly, “Where’s Harry? I didn’t see him at the Feast.” She looked around as if expecting Harry to pop out from behind a tapestry.
Ginny’s mind worked quickly in order to come up with a reply that simultaneously implied that she knew where Harry was without letting Romilda know where he was. Above all, she mustn’t know that she and Harry had broken up. Before she could formulate a reply, however, Seamus cut in. “What’s it to you, where Harry is?”
Romilda ignored him, her eyes gleaming suddenly. “He’s fighting You-Know-Who, isn’t he? He really IS the Chosen One! I knew it.” She had either not noticed, or had disregarded, Harry’s transition in the public eye from ‘Chosen One’ to ‘Public Enemy Number One’.
Neither Seamus nor Neville stepped in this time, and Ginny realised that they were half-hoping she’d confirm what Romilda had just said, or let slip some other information regarding Harry’s whereabouts. But even Ginny didn’t know exactly where Harry had gone. “It’s none of your business,” she told Romilda. “It’s private; I don’t see why I should tell you.”
“If you’re planning on sending him any more love potions, pass them on to us; we’ll make sure he doesn’t get them,” added Seamus with a smirk. Besides Ginny, Ron and Harry, only Neville, Dean and Seamus knew about Ron’s mistaken consumption of a love potion meant for Harry. And only Harry and the Weasleys knew about Ron’s near-poisoning immediately after.
Romilda pressed her lips together, unable to think of a comeback; tossing her hair, she turned to the Fat Lady and said shortly, “Leprechaun.” The Fat Lady swung forwards to admit the four Gryffindors.
Ginny said goodnight to Neville and Seamus as they disappeared up to the boys’ dormitories. She ascended the girls’ staircase and entered her own dormitory, which she shared with three other girls: Kimberley, Helen and Niamh. Kimberley had been made a Prefect the previous year, and no wonder: she came top in virtually every subject, with marks to rival Hermione’s. She was also very sensible, but rather cold and withdrawn; she spent most of her time in the library, and didn’t have any particular friends. Ginny had yet to work out why she was in Gryffindor rather than Ravenclaw, which was the house the cleverest students were usually sorted into.
Niamh was small and bubbly, with dark hair, bright blue eyes and a liking for mischief and practical jokes. She wasn’t bad on a broomstick: light and speedy enough to be a Seeker. Ginny would have to ask her about that. Helen was sweet, kind and a little overweight with brown hair and round glasses rather like Harry’s. She wasn’t very good at keeping secrets because she was a very honest person, and tended to cave under pressure. However, she had plenty of friends because of her open and unpretentious nature.
Helen and Niamh were best friends, an inseparable pair. It was therefore a great surprise for Ginny to see Niamh walking through the door without Helen accompanying her. “Niamh, where’s Helen?” Ginny asked her. Niamh turned, having been on the point of climbing into bed, and Ginny saw that her eyes were very red.
“I… I don’t know,” she replied, her voice trembling. Ginny’s stomach all but turned over as she remembered that Helen was Muggle-born. It had never mattered to any of them, so she hadn’t thought anything of it. Impulsively, she crossed the gap between them and drew Niamh into a hug. Niamh’s restraint cracked and she burst into tears; Ginny’s shoulder was soon soaked. She patted Niamh on the back, letting her get it all out. After a few minutes, Kimberley’s face poked out through her hangings to see what the noise was, but withdrew once she had taken in the scene. Ginny couldn’t imagine her comforting anyone. She barely talked at all.
It was a good ten minutes before Niamh finished crying. Ginny had caught phrases like ‘I don’t know what I’m going to do without her’, and ‘What if the Death Eaters…’ Her heart went out to Niamh, and even though she didn’t normally hang around with the bubbly Gryffindor, she said,
“Helen will be all right, I expect her parents just wanted to keep her safe at home. Don’t worry about being lonely, I’ll walk with you to lessons and we’ll write to Helen, okay?” She wasn’t so sure about the last one, but she knew it would cheer Niamh up. Sure enough, Niamh gave her a watery smile.
“Thanks, Ginny… I think I’ll try and get some sleep, don’t want to have puffy eyes in the morning…”
She disappeared behind the hangings of her four-poster bed, and Ginny was able to climb into her own bed at last. She pulled on her pyjamas without really thinking about anything in particular, but somehow in the time between beginning to undress and sliding between her warm sheets, her mind had landed on the Sorting Hat’s unusually cryptic song and was wondering about the ‘treasures’ it had referred to. Treasures which belonged to the founders… and possessed extraordinary magical power… well, she knew of one object that had belonged to a founder, and that was the Sword of Gryffindor (the Sorting Hat itself had also belonged to Gryffindor, come to think of it) … Harry had used it to kill the basilisk and save her… it must have remarkable power to be able to slay a basilisk… thank goodness it was safe in Dumbledore’s office…
Ginny sat bolt upright as she suddenly realised what the Sorting Hat must have been trying to say. Dumbledore’s office would be Snape’s office now! So Snape would have access to Gryffindor’s sword… And since Snape was a Death Eater, so, by logical progression, would Voldemort…
Ginny felt sick to the stomach as she imagined what destruction Voldemort could wreak with a sword that had such powerful magical properties. There was no question about it: she had to retrieve the sword.
Author’s Notes: XD This ended up a lot longer than I expected.
How did I do on characterisation in this chapter? Snape is such a hard character to write, I tell you, because I know he’s good and yet he has to appear bad. Stupid complex, in-depth characters!
I hope to get chapter 3 written before I go on holiday on the 17th, but I can’t guarantee it because I’m pretty busy over the next five days, and I’m writing a one-shot that takes priority. If I don’t manage to do both, you can expect the chapter to be out in early September, when I get back.